ONE OF THE HOTTEST ISSUES BROUGHT UP IN CITY COUNCIL TONIGHT...MARIJUANA. SHOULD POT PENALTIES BE REDUCED IN THE CITY? ACTION 7 NEWS REPORTER LAURA THOREN JOINS US LIVE FROM CITY HALL, TO TELL US ABOUT ONE ARGUMENT A COUNCILOR IS MAKING, WHEN IT COMES TO MARIJUANA. COUNCILOR REY GARDUNO BELIEVES - IF A PERSON HAS LESS THAN AN OUNCE OF MARIJUANA ON THEM, THEY SHOULD FACE A MINOR PENALTY. WHAT'S ON THE BOOKS NOW IS A FINE OF 50-BUCKS AND UP TO 15 DAYS IN JAIL. THE REDUCED PENALTY WOULD MEAN A FINE OF 25-DOLLARS AND NO JAIL TIME. NOW, THIS PROPOSED CHANGED HAS ALREADY SEEN SUPPORT. 16-THOUSAND SIGNATURES WERE SUBMITTED TO THE CITY IN ORDER TO GET THE ISSUE ON THE BALLOT! THOSE SIGNATURES HAVE NOT YET BEEN VERIFIED... BUT GARDUNO IS SUPPORTING THEIR EFFORT BY URGING THE COUNCIL TO MAKE SURE THE ISSUE IS ON A BALLOT IN NOVEMBER. HE BELIEVES THE GENERAL PUBLIC WILL SIDE WITH WHAT HE BELIEVES. "We don't want our young folks - for whatever reason they have less than an ounce - they be put into criminal you know - because that could have a terrible effect on those young folks." WE ASKED COUNCILOR GARDUNO - WHO IS A DEMOCRAT - IF THE POT PENALTY CHANGE IS JUST A WAY TO DRAW MORE LIBERALS TO THE POLLS IN NOVEMBER. HE RESPONDED BY SAYING - BASICALLY IT'S THAT'S A COMPLETELY FALSE CONSPIRACY THEORY. HE BELIEVES EVERYONE, NOT JUST LIBERALS WOULD WANT THESE MARIJUANA LAWS REDUCED. AND WE DIDN'T HEAR ANYONE SPEAK OUT AGAINST LESSENING THE PENALTIES TONIGHT. THE CITY COUNCIL VOTE ON THE ISSUE WILL HAPPEN NEXT MEETING ON THE 18TH. IN CITY HALL - LAURA THOREN KOAT ACTION 7 NEWS. THE ELECTION ISN'T UNTIL NOVEMBER ...BUT RIGHT NOW IT